Classical Music

Classical Album Review: Playing Musical Homage to Camille Saint-Saëns — World Traveler

July 1, 2023
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The French chamber orchestra Divertimento’s debut recording, which includes “classical” and “folk” tracks, is enchanting and often thought-provoking.

Classical Album Review: A Panorama of Piano Music from Berlioz’s World

June 25, 2023
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A fascinating CD packed full of little-known works by composers who knew Berlioz, including his onetime fiancée Camille Moke and a youngish Franz Liszt.

Classical Concert Review: The Escher String Quartet at Rockport — Nonstop Delight

June 20, 2023
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I immediately heard how adept these players were — and how brilliantly they played together.

Opera Album Review: A Fittingly Fresh First Recording of a Flexible One-Acter by Donizetti’s Teacher

June 4, 2023
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Johann Simon Mayr’s delicious L’Accademia di musica gets a spiffy performance from the “Rossini in Wildbad” Festival.

Album Review: Minx’s “The Cloistered Order” — A Captivating Blend of Tempos and Dynamics

June 1, 2023
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Like Thin Lizzy, Minx marries metallic thunder with melodic structures and lyrics worth listening to.

Classical Album Review: Karina Canellakis conducts Bartók — Pretty Much as Good as They Come

May 29, 2023
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This is an album of top-notch orchestral playing. Yet the real star is Karina Canellakis.

Classical Album Review: Martin Fröst’s “Ecstasy and Abyss” — A Mixed Bag of Mozart

May 27, 2023
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The best items in this all-Mozart album are the concertos.

Classical Album Review: Violinist Maria Ioudenitch’s “Songbird” Soars

May 26, 2023
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Violinist Maria Ioudenitch seems to know how to get directly at the expressive core of this fare without devolving into showboating or histrionics.

Opera Album Review: Zoroastre and His Sun Worshipers Vanquish Louts in a World-Premiere Recording of Rameau’s 1749 Opera

May 26, 2023
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Some of France’s best early-music singers and a splendid period-instrument band make this Zoroastre a perfect introduction to the pleasures of Baroque music.

Opera Album Review: Jonathan Berger’s “Mỹ Lai” — A Miniature Masterpiece

May 24, 2023
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Jonathan Berger’s remarkable chamber opera about the Mỹ Lai Massacre is a powerful artistic and anti-war statement.

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